The next activity of WE AfriHug team was the participation at the 2nd Afrika Youth Movement Retreat Forum, which took place at Accra, 18th to 22nd of April 2018.
Afrika Youth Movement (AYM) is a pan-African, action-oriented, youth-led movement that strives for the participation, development and leadership of African youth to transform Africa and achieve their rights to peace, equality and social justice. They try to create a continent that respects the rights of all its citizens. Through their works they promote values that binds the continent; unity, self-determination, integrity and accountability. Afrika Youth Movement has 10.000 members at 40 African countries.
The Retreat took place from 18th till 21st of April at Accra, for selected number of participants from Tunisia, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Togo, Kenya, Ethiopia and Greece. The members of WE AfriHug team were the only non-Africans who participated at the programme. The participants had the chance to meet member the movement, its history and the Hubs which exist in each country.
Divided in groups they had to create the Code of Content, Governance Structure and the Working Methods of the Hubs. In the afternoon session they had to deal with Membership Engagement, Fundraising ideas and Action Plans of the future Hubs. The Delegates were divided to Committees and they discussed their future projects, action plans and timeplans. Agriculture, Health, Peace & Development, Gender Equality and Education are the main Committees that will operate in the Hubs of AYM across Africa.
The Retreat attended the former Minister of Sports, Zaya Yeebo, who shared his experience as former Minister and motivated the delegated to continue to be active and promote the idea of Pan-africanism. Non-formal education activities, multicultural panels, open discussions and exchange of opinions took place during the first four dates of the Retreat.
On 22nd of April 2018 it took place the 2nd Empowerment Youth of Afrika Youth Movement which took place at the Institute of African studies at the University of Ghana, in Accra. Participants from Tunisia, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire, Haiti and Greece attended and interacted with each other.
The Forum focused at Pan-africanism and Development. There were discussions and plans on Governance and Leadership, Youth and Women Empowerment, Peace and Justice, Agriculture and education in the context of realization of Agenda2063 and SDGs. The co-founder of WE AfriHug, Konstantinos Maragkos facilitated the panel for the present and future of the Movement and Africa between the active members of Afrika Youth Movement from Tunisia, Kenya and Nigeria.
The project continues in Ghana, where the team participated in the programme “STEP” in the framework of Erasmus+, Key Action 2: Capacity Building in the field of Youth. The project connects the active participation of citizens with formal education, focusing on values of sustainability and incorporating them in non-formal education activities. STEP aims at the promotion of implementation of active and participatory education through workshops and educational approach oriented at solutions. With the research of alternative social models, social and ecological initiatives, the project use information and resources so as to develop one new educational session with the aim their incorporation at the formal educational system.
More information about Afrika Youth Movement: